Shoe fastener



July 1, 1969 R E -JONES ET AL 3,452,457

SHOE FASTENER Filed June 15, 1967 N 5 N TOES RALPH E. JONES, H060 MAHLEA By 7145/? ATTORA/EY5 HARE/5, K/Echg RUSSELL 8: KER/v United States Patent US. Cl. 36-50 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A shoe fastener for a shoe of the type comprising an upper having two spaced flaps one of which is provided with a closure Strap of a length to span the space between the flaps and to overlie the other flap. The fastener comprises a base connected to the other flap and a shell slidably adjustable lengthwise of the strap to adjust the fit of the shoe. Interengageable latch elements on the base and the shell secure the strap to the other flap. A cam carried by the shell clamps the shell in the desired adjusted position thereof lengthwise of the strap, the cam being actuated by a lever which lies substantially fiat against the upper surface of the strap when the cam is in its clamping position.

Cross-reference to related application Serial No. 479,729, filed jointly by us and Charles E Weller on Aug, 16, 1965, now Patent No. 3,353,230, issued Nov. 21, 1967.

Background of invention The invention relates in general to a shoe fastener for use with a shoe of the type comprising an upper having two spaced flaps one of which is provided with a closure strap of a length to span the space between the flaps and to overlie the other of the flaps, the fastener serving to releasably secure the closure strap to such other flap. Although disclosed herein in connection with a shoe of the foregoing type, it will be understood that the invention is applicable to a boot of the same type having two or more closure straps each secured to the flap which it overlies by the fastener of the invention.

More particularly, the invention relates to a shoe fastener having a base secured to the flap which the closure strap overlies, a shell slida'bly adjustable lengthwise of the closure strap to adjust the fit of the shoe and adapted to overlie the base, and interengageable latch elements respectively carried by the base and the shell, and engageable and disengageable in response to movement of the shell relative to the base in a direction lengthwise of the closure strap, for releasably securing the closure strap to the flap which it overlies.

Prior patents disclosing shoe fasteners of the foregoing type include No. 3,206,819, granted to us on Sept. 21, 1965, and No. 3,228,079, granted to us and Charles E. Weller jointly on Jan. 11, 1966.

Summary and objects of invention The invention contemplates an improved means for adjusting the position of the shell lengthwise of the closure strap to adjust the fit of the shoe on the wearers foot, or, more accurately, to adjust the tightness with which the vamp of the shoe fits the wearers instep.

The invention further contemplates, and a primary object thereof is to provide, novel means for adjusting the position of the shell lengthwise of the closure strap, comprising a cam pivotally mounted on the shell above the closure strap and engageable with the upper surface of the closure strap, upon pivoting of the cam into an operative position, to clamp the closure strap against a lower wall of the shell so as to secure the shell to the closure strap in a predetermined adjusted position of the shell lengthwise of the closure strap corresponding to a predetermined fit of the shoe. The cam extends transversely of the direction of the length of the closure strap and is pivotable relative to the shell about a pivot axis similarly extending transversely of the direction of the length of the closure strap.

An important object of the invention is to pivot the cam between its operative position, and an inoperative position wherein it releases the shell from the closure strap for sliding movement of the shell lengthwise of the closure strap, by means of a lever connected to the cam and lying substantially flat against the upper surface of the closure strap when the cam is in its operative, clamping position.

Another object is to provide a construction wherein the cam is located at one end of the shell and wherein the lever extends lengthwise of the closure strap toward the other end of the shell and lies substantially fiat against the upper surface of the closure strap when the cam is in its clamping position.

Still another object is to provide the shell at the other end thereof with tabs overlying the upper surface of the closure strap and exending inwardly toward each other transversely of the direction of the length of the closure strap. Such tabs constitute portions of an upper wall of a passage through the shell for the closure strap, the cam itself constituting another portion of such upper wall. The lower wall of the shell constitutes the lower wall of the passage for the closure strap. A related object is to provide the shell with side walls extending lengthwise of the closure strap and spaced apart transversely of the direction of the length of the closure strap and engaging the edges of the closure strap, the side walls of the shell forming the side walls of the passage through the shell for the closure strap.

Another important object is to provide the shoe fastener of the invention with detent means carried by the shell and engageable with the closure strap for preventing slippage of the shell lengthwise of the closure strap when the cam is in its operative, clamping position.

An object in connection with the presently preferred embodiment of the invention is to provide a detent means which comprises ridges formed on the lower wall of the shell below the cam and extending transversely of the direction of the length of the closure strap and engageable with the lower surface of the closure strap.

An object in connection with another embodiment of the invention is to provide a detent means which includes ridges formed on the cam itself and extending trans versely of the direction of the length of the closure strap and engageable with the upper surface of the closure strap when the cam is in its clamping position.

Other objects are to provide a latch means for securing the shell to the base which includes a latch opening in the base capable of receiving a hook carried by the shell below the lower wall thereof, or which includes a latch opening in a depending portion of the shell and adapted to receive a tapered tab projecting from the base in the direction of the length of the closure strap.

The foregoing objects, advantages, features and results of the present invention, together with various other objects, advantages, features and results thereof which will be evident to those skilled in the shoe fastener art in the light of this disclosure, may be achieved with the exemplary embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing and described in detail hereinafter.

Description of drawing In the drawing:

RIG. 1 is a perspective view on a reduced scale of a shoe equipped with the shoe fastener of the invention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are perspective views respectively illustrating a base and a shell constituting parts of the presently preferred embodiment of the shoe fastener of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the base and the shell of FIGS. 2 and 3 respectively installed on a flap and a closure strap of the shoe of FIG. 1, FIG. 4 being taken in a generally vertical plane extending in the direction of the length of the closure strap;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated by the arrowed line 55 of FIG. 4; and

FIGS. 6 and 7 are perspective views respectively similar to FIGS. 2 and 3 but illustrating a base and a shell constituting parts of an alternative embodiment of the invention.

Detailed description of embodiment of invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 Referring initially to FIG. 1 of the drawing illustrated therein is a conventional shoe 10 0f the type comprising an upper or vamp 12 having two spaced fia-ps 14 and 16. One of the flaps, e.g., the flap 14, has connected thereto or formed integrally therewith a closure strap 18 of a length to span the space between the flaps 14 and 16 and to overlie the flap 16. The shoe fastener of the invention is designated generally by the numeral 20 and secures the closure strap 18 to the flap 16 in a manner permitting adjustment of the fit of the shoe.

The shoe fastener 20 includes a base 22. F IG. 2, having two end portions 24 and 26 seated on the upper surface of the flap 16 of the shoe 10 and spaced apart lengthwise of the closure strap 18. The end portions 24 and 26 are suitably secured to the flap 16, as by rivets 28 and 30, respectively.

Intermediate the end portions 24 and 26 of the base 22 is a raised central portion 32 which will be described in more detail hereinafter. For the present, it is sufiicient to describe the raised central portion 32 as having a substantially flat top wall 34 spaced upwardly from and generally parallel to the portion of the flap 16 which it overlies, such top wall being connected to the respective end portions 24 and 26 by end walls 36 and 38. The end wall 36 is a sloping end wall making an obtuse angle with the end portion 24 and the top wall 34, while the end wall 38 is at least approximately perpendicular to the end portion 26 and the top wall 34.

The shoe fastener 20 of the invention also includes a shell 40, FIG. 3, which is slidably adjustable lengthwise of the closure strap 18 and which is adapted to overlie the base 22, the shell being provided therethrough with a passage 42 for the closure strap which extends lengthwise of the closure strap. More particularly, the shell 40 is provided with a lower wall 44 which forms the lower wall of the passage 42 and which has a substantial- 1y flat central portion 46 adapted to seat on the top Wall 34 of the raised central portion 32 of the base 22, as shown in FIG. 4. The lower wall 44 of the shell 40 has end portions 48 and 50 respectively adapted to overlie and bent downwardly toward the end portions 24 and 26 of the base 22. The downwturned end portions 48 and 50 of the lower wall 44 of the shell 40 provide the closure strap 18 with a relatively smooth contour throughout the portion thereof which overlies the base 22.

The shell 40 is provided along its longitudinal edges with upstanding side walls 52 extending lengthwise of the closure strap 18 and spaced apart transversely of the direction of the length of the closure strap and engaging the edges of the closure strap, such side walls forming the side walls of the passage 42 through the shell 40 for the closure strap.

Formed integrally with the side walls 52 of the shell 4 40 at one end of the shell are tabs 54 overlying the upper surface Otf the closure strap 18 and extending inwardly toward each other transversely of the direction of the length of the closure strap, such tabs constituting portions of the longitudinal passage 42 through the shell 40.

A cam 56 extends transversely of the direction of the length of the closure strap 18 and is pivotally mounted on upstanding ears 58 shown as formed integrally with the side walls 52 of the shell 40 at the end of the shell opposite the tabs 54. The cam 56 is pivotally mounted on the ears 58 in any suitable manner, as by means of pivot pins 60 which may be integral with or separate from the cam. The cam 56 is located above and forms a portion of the upper wall of the longitudinal passage 42 through the shell 40, and is engageable with the upper surface of the closure strap 18, upon pivoting of the cam into an operative, clamping position, best shown in FIG. 4 of the drawing, to the clamp the closure strap against the lower wall 44 of the shell, and, more particularly, against the end portion 48 of the lower wall, to secure the shell to the closure strap in a predetermined adjusted position of the shell lengthwise of the closure strap corresponding to a predetermined fit of the shoe. More particularly, the cam 56 is provided on one side of the axis of the pivot pins 60 with a lobe 62 which is engageable with the upper surface of the closure strap to clamp the closure strap against the end portion 48 of the lower shell Wall 44, the lobe 62 extendsing transversely of the direction of the length of the closure strap across the entire width of the strap.

The cam 56 is pivotable between its operative, clamping position, best shown in FIG. 4 of the drawing, and an inoperative position, FIG. 3, by means of a lever 64 connected to the cam, as by being formed integrally therewith, in an area spaced circumferentially from the cam lobe 62. When the cam 56 is in its clamping position, the lever 64 extends lengthwise of the closure strap toward the opposite end of the shell 40 and lies substantially flat against the upper surface of the closure strap to provide the shoe fastener 20 of the invention with a neat, finished appearance, as best shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing. The lever 64 terminates in an upturned end portion 66 under which any suitable tool may be inserted to initiate pivoting of the cam 56 from its operative position toward its inoperative poston whenever it is desired to release the shell 40 relative to the closure strap 18 to adjust the fit of the shoe 10, as will be described in more detail hereinafter.

The shoe fastener 20 of the invention includes detent means 68 carried by the shell 40 and engageable with the closure strap 18 for preventing slippage of the shell lengthwise of the closure strap when the cam 56 is in its clamping position. In the particular embodiment of the invention under consideration, the detent means 68 comprises detent ridges 70 formed integrally with the end portion 48 of the lower wall 44 of the shell. As will be apparent from FIG. 4 of the drawing, the detent ridges 70 indent the lower surface of the closure strap 18, when the cam 56 is in its operative position, to prevent slippage of the shell 40 lengthwise of the closure strap in a very positive and reliable manner.

The shoe fastener 20 of the invention further includes interengageable first and second latch elements 72 and 74 respectively carried by the base 22 and the shell 40, and engageable and disengageable in response to movement of the shell relative to the base in a direction lengthwise of the closure strap, tfOI securing the shell to the base to fasten the shoe 10 with the desired preadjusted fit. The first latch element 72 on the base 22 comprises simply a latch opening in the end wall 38 of the raised central portion 32 of the base. The second latch element 74 carried by the shell 40 comprises a hook formed integrally with the lower wall 44 of the shell and depending below such lower wall, the hook 74 facing rearwardly toward the raised central portion 32 of the base 22 and being inserted into the latch opening 72, when the shoe fastener 20 is latched, to secure the shell 40 to the base.

Operation of embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 5 Latching and releasing the shoe fastener 20 of the invention in putting the shoe on and taking it off are very simple operations. More particularly, after putting the shoe 10 on, the shoe fastener 20 may be latched very simply by grasping the end of the closure strap 18 and pulling the shell 40 across the base 22, in the direction of the length of the closure strap, until the hook 74 rides over the top wall 34 of the raised central portion 32 of the base and drops downwardly into a position to enter the latch opening 72. Releasing the tension in the closure strap 18 will automatically result in insertion of the hook 74 into the latch opening 72. It will be noted that because of the slope of the inclined end wall 36 of the raised central portion 32 of the base 22, the hook 74 on the shell 40 rides up and over the raised central portion 32 of the base very smoothly in response to a latching pull force applied to the end of the closure strap 18.

When it is desired to remove the shoe 10, the fastener 20 may be unlatched very simply by grasping the end of the closure strap 18 and pulling thereon until the hook 74 is disengaged from the latch opening 72. Thereafter, a slight upward force applied to the end of the closure strap 18 will lift the shell 40' clear of the raised central portion 32 of the base 22 so that, when the closure .strap is subsequently released, the flaps 14 and 16 of the shoe 10 can be separated as widely as desired to facilitate removal of the shoe from the foot.

Adjusting the fit of the shoe 10 in accordance with the invention is preferably carried out with the shoe removed from the foot, although this is not essential. The first step is to insert any suitable prying tool which happens to be handy under the end portion 66 of the lever 64 and to pry the lever upwardly until it can be grasped with the fingers to complete the operation of pivoting the cam 56 from its clamping position to its inoperative position. The foregoing accomplished, the shell 40 is moved lengthwise of the closure strap 18 as desired to tighten or loosen the fit of the shoe 10. With the shell 40 in the desired new position on the closure strap 18, the cam 56 is returned to its operative, clamping position by pressing downwardly on the lever 64 with the thumb until the lever again lies substantially fiat against the upper surface of the closure strap. The shell 40 is positively secured in this new position relative to the closure strap 18 by the cooperation of the cam 56 and the detent means 68 in detenting engagement with the lower surface of the closure strap. The shoe 10 is then replaced on the workers foot and the fastener 20 of the invention is latched. If the fit is not exactly as desired, a further minor adjustment to secure exactly the desired fit may be made by repeating the foregoing operations.

Detailed description of embodiment of invention shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 FIGS. 6 and 7 of the drawing illustrate a shoe fastener 120 of the invention which is quite similar to the shoe fastener 20. Consequently, only the differences will be described and, for convenience, the various parts of the shoe fastener 120 will be identified by reference numerals higher by one hundred than the reference numerals used to identify the corresponding parts of the shoe fastener 20.

One difference in shoe fastener 120 is that the detent means 168 comprises detent ridges 170 formed on the apex of the cam lobe 162, instead of on the end portion 148 of the lower wall 144 of the shell 140. With this construction, the detent ridkes 170 indent the upper surface of the closure strap when the cam 156 is in its clamping position. This location for the detent means 168 has one slight disadvantage over the location of the detent means 68 in the shoe fastener 20, i.e., the detent ridges 170, being formed on the cam 156, tend to shift the shell 140 lengthwise of the closure strap slightly as the cam is pivoted into its clamping position. This slight lengthwise shift of the shell 140 can, however, be anticipated and a suitable allowance made therefor in initially positioning the shell 140 lengthwise of the closure strap.

One other difference between the shoe fasteners and 20 resides in the structures of the first and second latch elements 172 and 174. The latch element 172 on the base 122 comprises an integral tapered latch tab struck from the end wall 138 of the raised central portion 132 of the base 122, and projecting longitudinally from and in the same plane as the top wall 134 of the raised central portion 132. correspondingly, the latch element 174 carried by the shell comprises a latch opening formed in a tab 176 struck from and depending below the lower wall 144 of the shell 140.

Description of operation of embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7 The operation of the shoe fastener 120' is essentially the same as that of the fastener 20. Briefly, in latching and unlatching the fastener 120, the latch tab 176 on the shell 140 is engaged with and disengaged from the tapered latch tab 172 on the base 122. Such latching and unlatching operations are performed in essentially the same manner as in the shoe fastener 20 so that a further description is not required. Similarly, adjustment of the position of the shell 140 on the closure strap is carried out in essentially the same manner as in the shoe fastener 20, the only difference being that the slight shift of the shell 140 lengthwise of the closure strap resulting from the location of the detent ridges on the cam 156 must be anticipated, as hereinbefore discussed. Consequently, no further description of the manner of adjusting the fit of the shoe with the shoe fastener 120 is necessary.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a shoe fastener for a shoe of the type comprising an upper having two spaced flaps one of which is provided with a closure strap of a length to span the space between said flaps and to overlie the other of said flaps, the combination of:

'(a) a base seated on the upper surface of said other (b) means for securing said base to said other flap;

(c) a shell slidable lengthwise of said closure strap and adapted to overlie said base, said shell being provided therethrough with a passage for said closure strap which extends lengthwise of said closure strap, and being provided with a lower wall forming a lower wall of said passage and engaging the lower surface of said closure strap;

(d) interengageable first and second latch elements respectively carried by said base and said shell and engageable and disengageable in repsonse to movement of said shell relative to said base in a direction lengthwise of said closure strap;

(e) a cam pivotally mounted on said shell above said passage for said closure strap and extending trans versely of the direction of the length of said closure strap and having a depending lobe engageable with the upper surface of said closure strap, upon pivoting of said cam into an operative position, to clamp said closure strap against said lower wall of said shell to secure said shell to said closure strap in a predetermined adjusted position of said shell lengthwise of said closure strap corresponding to a predetermined fit of said shoe;

(f) a lever connected to said cam and adapted to overlie said closure strap for pivoting said cam between said operative position wherein said cam lobe clamps said closure strap against said lower wall of said shell an an inoperative position wherein said cam lobe releases said shell from said closure strap for sliding movement of said shell lengthwise of said closure strap to adjust the fit of said shoe; and

(g) said cam being located at the end of said shell which is farthest from the free end of said closure strap, and said lever extending lengthwise of said closure strap toward the free end thereof and lying substantially flat against the upper surface of said clo sure strap when said cam is in said operative position.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said shoe fastener includes detent means carried by said shell and engageable with said closure strap for preventing slippage of said shell lengthwise of said closure strap when said cam is in said operative position.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2 wherein said detent means comprises detent ridges formed on said lower wall of said shell and extending transversely of the direction of the length of said closure strap and engageable with the lower surface of said closure strap.

4. The combination defined in claim 2 wherein said detent means includes detent ridges formed on said cam lobe and extending transversely of the direction of the length of said closure strap and engageable with the upper surface of said closure strap when esaid cam is in said operative position.

5. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said shell is provided at the end thereof nearest the free end of said closure strap with tabs overlying the upper surface of said closure strap and extending inwardly toward each 8 other transversely of the direction of the length of said clo sure strap, said tabs constituting portions of an upper wall of said passage through said shell for said closure strap, and the free end of said lever being between said tabs when said cam is in said operative position.

6. The combination set forth in claim 5 wherein said shell includes side walls extending lengthwise of said closure strap and spaced apart transversely of the direction of the length of said closure strap and engaging the edges of said closure strap, said side walls forming side walls of said passage through said shell for said closure strap.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 332,624 12/1885 Rubin 24-78 1,429,155 9/1922 Metcalf 2478 2,618,036 11/1952 -Statham 36-50 X 2,745,157 5/1956 Bomerscheim 24-77 3,206,819 9/1965 Jones et al. 24225 3,228,079 l/1966 Jones et a1. 24193 3,353,230 11/1967 Jones et al. 2477 ALFRED R. GUEST, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 24--78, 225 

